Animated 'Goat' Film Mixes Basketball Dreams and Big Stars

Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, and Patton Oswalt lend their voices to the new sports comedy.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The upcoming animated film 'Goat' follows the story of a small goat named Will, voiced by Caleb McLaughlin, who gets a shot at the big time in a basketball world full of larger-than-life personalities. The all-star cast also includes Gabrielle Union as an aging superstar player named Jett, and Patton Oswalt as the coach of the losing team who believes in himself despite lacking the skills.

Why it matters

The film blends sports, comedy, and star power to tell an underdog story that resonates with themes of perseverance and self-belief, drawing inspiration from the real-life careers of NBA stars like Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade.

The details

In 'Goat', McLaughlin's character Will is a small goat who gets a chance to play in the big leagues, surrounded by larger-than-life basketball stars. Union voices Jett, an aging superstar player who is threatened by Will's rise. Oswalt plays the coach of the losing team, a role he says is inspired by his own self-belief, even when his skills don't match up.

  • The animated film 'Goat' is set to hit theaters on Friday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Caleb McLaughlin

An actor known for his role in the hit Netflix series 'Stranger Things', McLaughlin voices the lead character of Will, a small goat who gets a shot at basketball stardom.

Gabrielle Union

The actress and producer voices the character of Jett, an aging superstar basketball player who is threatened by the rise of the smaller, underdog character Will.

Patton Oswalt

The comedian and actor voices the role of Dennis, the coach of the losing team who believes in himself despite lacking the necessary skills.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I know this story resembles Steph's career and his basketball career, who Will is in a world of bigs and being a small, that's something I can relate to is that, I've always told myself like anything that I wanted to do I can do and I didn't allow anybody to tell me if I can do it or not.”

— Caleb McLaughlin (wsvn.com)

“A bit right? Especially the later years, where you know your body's kind of betraying you and you're used to being able to do certain things. So I sprinkle a little bit of my husband, a little bit of Bron, a little bit of Washington, D.C., and Michael Jordan. And a whole lot of Dawn Staley and Teresa Weatherspoon to create Jett.”

— Gabrielle Union (wsvn.com)

“God, that was so long ago. Yeah, look, I believe in myself even if I don't have the skills to back it up.”

— Patton Oswalt, As Dennis (wsvn.com)

What’s next

The film 'Goat' is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, February 14, 2026, giving audiences a chance to see the underdog story play out on the big screen.

The takeaway

By blending sports, comedy, and star power, 'Goat' tells an inspiring underdog story that resonates with themes of perseverance and self-belief, drawing parallels to the real-life careers of NBA stars like Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade.